Update 1 (04/09/2021 @ 02:50 PM ET): ASUS is rolling out the stable Android 11 update to the ZenFone 7 series globally. Click here for more information. The article, as published on March 25, 2021, is preserved below.

The ASUS ZenFone 7 lineup has been on the market for about half a year now. The device sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC (Snapdragon 865 Plus on the Pro variant), 6/8GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 128/256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage alongside a dedicated microSD card slot. All of that comes in a slim package with 6.67-inch AMOLED display that refreshes up to 90Hz, stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a 5,000mAh battery, and the signature Flip Camera module. To put it in short, it’s a solid flagship device, none less than any other flagship from 2020. The ZenFone 7 was originally released with Android 10 with ZenUI 7 on board, but ASUS was quick enough to start recruiting beta testers for its Android 11 update. The beta testing phase is finally over, as the company is now rolling out the first stable build of Android 11 to ZenFone 7 users.

ASUS ZenFone 7/7 Pro XDA Forums

According to a recent post on the ASUS ZenTalk forums, the first stable build of Android 11 is now rolling out to both the ZenFone 7 (ZS670KS) and the ZenFone 7 Pro (ZS671KS) in Taiwan. Bearing version number 30.40.30.93, the updated firmware brings all the obvious aesthetic and functional changes introduced in Android 11, along with a handful of Zen UI-specific changes. It also bumps up the Android security patch level on the phone duo to March 2021.

ASUS ZenFone 7 Android 11 stable

Here’s the full changelog (translated):

  1. Upgrade system to Android 11
  2. Update applications such as smart housekeeper, contact person, phone, file management, computer, clock, picture library, weather, recording program, settings, one-key switch and local backup
  3. Support one-time permissions, improved file access permission control, automatic reset permissions and other privacy functions
  4. Supports maintaining Bluetooth connection when flying mode is turned on
  5. Adjusted to the Android 11 notification bar style, support for displaying notifications of ongoing conversations
  6. The classic power button style supports Android 11 device control and Google Pay.
  7. Added the use of buttons to adjust the volume and return to advanced gesture settings. Adjust the style and automatically switch the color setting of the system. Remove one-handed mode.
  8. Notification settings Added notification records and dialog settings
  9. Adjust the quick setting panel interface and support media control. Added nearby sharing option (need to be added manually)
  10. Some third-party software is not yet compatible with Android 11
  11. Please backup your data before upgrading. If you want to downgrade from Android 11 to Android 10, you can use the official software package, but all data will be erased
  12. The system update "Wi-Fi automatic download and installation" setting is turned on by default

According to ASUS, the OTA is rolling out in batches, so it may take a few days for you to see the update prompt on your ZenFone 7. After the confirmation that the update is, in fact, reliable, the company will push it to a wider scale. As of now, ASUS hasn’t shared any concrete timeline for the global release, but we expect the update to start rolling out to users in other regions in the coming weeks.


Update 1: Rolling out globally

ASUS is now rolling out the stable Android 11 release to the ZenFone 7 series globally. The software release carries version number 30.40.30.96. The two announcement posts on the ZenTalk forums make it seem like this update doesn't actually bring Android 11, but we've confirmed with an ASUS PR rep that the update does upgrade the OS. In addition, a tipster shared a screenshot of the update reaching their device, and we can also see that ASUS has uploaded the full firmware to its website.

We're glad to see the stable Android 11 release reach ZenFone 7 devices globally. ASUS may not be the fastest when it comes to delivering OS updates, but the company is perhaps the most developer-friendly and makes smartphones that appeal to power users. Hopefully, there aren't any glaring bugs in the update that might cause it to be pulled, but if there are, we'll be sure to let you know.